I don't know much about him but WALDO (Waldo Machado da Silva) should probably be in the top 20 of the Centre-Forwards, no? All-time top scorer of Fluminense with 319 goals (0.80 gpg) and then 160 goals with Valencia (0.54). Won 1 Carioca scoring title, 2 Torneio Rio-SP scoring titles and 1 Pichichi. Also 5 caps, 2 goals for Brazil.

Why not? He was a beast for Depor. Who would you suggest ahead of him anyway? Dunga had an average club career and is only on that list based entirely on his NT career and esp. his '94 and '98 WC performances (where he was excellent though). The rest are worse.

Outstanding 25-man squad, although only two centerbacks? I know it's their weakness, along with goalies, but I would have included Aldair ahead of D Alvim. Still an excellent selection, I cannot disagree on anything else.

I agree that he was great, but not better defensively than Mauro Silva for me. He was more all-round and had often very good attacking moves (esp. in 1-2s with Maradona or Careca) and could score. Mauro Silva was more vital in Depor's golden period though I feel, than Alemão for any team.

However I have a few minor details (from a Brazilian fan point of view):

1- CB:Aldair is kinda underated - should be in TOP5

2- RB:It's a very very close call between D.Santos and Carlos Alberto in #1, (like most expert list would put Carlos name first) but its ok in either case.

3- DM:Its funny to see Cerezo as #1 in DM!!! He was NOT a DM in first place, and even we like him to be one, Dunga or Clodoaldo would be a MUCH BETTER choice.
Here, Dunga and Coloaldo should be in TOP3. Move Cerezo into Center Midfield

4- FW You missed Dirceu in the FW list - he was even better than Edmundo and Robinho in such list.

5- CFW:R. Dinamite should be a FW (rather tahn CFW or striker)

6- AM vs "deep-lying FW
I am not sure why you separate "deep-lying FW" from FW or AM? as some names were wrongly placed in eitehr position:- Rivelino should be AM (not a FW in any sense)- Pele should be a "deep-lying FW" category (since you add it in)

This Brazil ALL TIME XI is based on WC performance and overall career of their names,

Formation is 3 4 1 2 :1- Goal Keeper: Leao is selected for his WC performance2- Defense: with Dunga a main DM and Carlos Alberto a libero. While both flanks are covered with Nilton and Dajlma Santos3- MIdfield:Didi is the captain and the boss of midfield so Pele, Zico both have all the freedom to move up down depends on situation. as Rivelino will cover the left and shall be switching task with Pele and Zico.4- FW:Ronaldo is the cneter foward with a bit freedom playing in sync with Pele from behind. Garrincha covers the right wing in attack.====================================================================================#11 Rivelino (6goals+5ass/12games WC) All star team WC70#10: Pele (12goals+9ass/14games WC) Goldenball WC70 + Silverboot WC58 + Silverball WC58#9: Ronaldo (15goals+5ass/19games WC) Goldenball WC98 + Goldenboot WC02 + Silverball WC02#8: Zico (5goals+4ass/8games WC) Bronzeboot WC82#7: Garrincha (5goals+6ass/10games WC) Goldenball WC62 + Goldenboot WC62#6: Didi (3goals+2ass/13games WC) Goldenball WC58#5: Dunga (2ass/12games WC) All star team WC94 and 98#4: Carlos Alberto (1goal/6games WC) All star team WC70#3: Nilton Santos (all star team WC58)#2: D.Santos (All star team WC54, 58 and 62)#1: Leao (rated as best GK at WC by Castrol ranking from 66-10)

3- DM:Its funny to see Cerezo as #1 in DM!!! He was NOT a DM in first place, and even we like him to be one, Dunga or Clodoaldo would be a MUCH BETTER choice.
Here, Dunga and Coloaldo should be in TOP3. Move Cerezo into Center Midfield

4- FWYou missed Dirceu in the FW list - he was even better than Edmundo and Robinho in such list.

5- CFW:R. Dinamite should be a FW (rather tahn CFW or striker)

6- AM vs "deep-lying FW
I am not sure why you separate "deep-lying FW" from FW or AM? as some names were wrongly placed in eitehr position:- Rivelino should be AM (not a FW in any sense)- Pele should be a "deep-lying FW" category (since you add it in)

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You're right about Cerezo, he was always a CM, a very well balanced player in defensive/ofensive skills. In his last years in Serie-A and in his Sao Paulo years, Cerezo was recognized mostly for his playmaking skills, leaving to another ones the defensive job.
Note that Didi and Gerson are described as the most ofensive ones among top CMs, close to be an AM (in fact some years they played AM role in both club and NT level)http://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/1980s-decade-all-star-lineup.1864996/page-13

In #4, you're refering to Dirceu Lopes? I would agree, since he was a #10 in late 60s. Very different to Dirceu Guimaraes ho was an AM and also a Side Mid.

I agree that he was great, but not better defensively than Mauro Silva for me. He was more all-round and had often very good attacking moves (esp. in 1-2s with Maradona or Careca) and could score. Mauro Silva was more vital in Depor's golden period though I feel, than Alemão for any team.

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Disagree. Alemao was actually seen as a very modern player at his time who served as screen in front of his defence. Mauro Silva was physically stronger but technically weaker as you say and also not an equally good reader.
Deportivo had at that time other very good players. It is a too big stretch to say that a lot depended on him.

tough to make a well balanced team with so manny greats to choose from.

formation will be 3-4-1-2 and there is no place for garincha since i play with upcoming backs no need for real wingers in this formation

goal : (this is easy brazil always had terrible keepers with the exception of) : gilmar
leftback : branco (very underrated nowadays but just as good as roberto carlos in the upcoming and better in the defending).
rightback : carlos alberto (the best upcoming back they had)
central defender : domingos da guia
defensive midfield : toninho cerezo (maybe dunga was slightly better but cerezo was one of my favorite players)
leftmidfield : roberto rivelinho
rightmidfield : socrates
playmaker : didi
shadow forward : zico
left forward : pele (the man was 2 footded enough to play in this position)
right forward : jairzinho ( garincha was a better winger in terms of dribbling etc but jairzinho was way more efficient in keeping pace in the game and also the better goalscorer then garincha)

imo this is the best possible solution. maybe it lacks a bit of defensive strength on midfield but with so many great attacking talented players they must be able to beat almost all all time teams (except for the dutch and the argentinians)

You're right about Cerezo, he was always a CM, a very well balanced player in defensive/ofensive skills. In his last years in Serie-A and in his Sao Paulo years, Cerezo was recognized mostly for his playmaking skills, leaving to another ones the defensive job.
Note that Didi and Gerson are described as the most ofensive ones among top CMs, close to be an AM (in fact some years they played AM role in both club and NT level)http://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/1980s-decade-all-star-lineup.1864996/page-13

In #4, you're refering to Dirceu Lopes? I would agree, since he was a #10 in late 60s. Very different to Dirceu Guimaraes ho was an AM and also a Side Mid.

Cerezo was a DM. If he is a CM, then others with similar attributes are too.

Disagree. Alemao was actually seen as a very modern player at his time who served as screen in front of his defence. Mauro Silva was physically stronger but technically weaker as you say and also not an equally good reader.
Deportivo had at that time other very good players. It is a too big stretch to say that a lot depended on him.

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Who told you that? understood you have a good knowledge in football, especially for Holland/Netherland but this is BRAZIL and I can assure CEREZO was NO DM at all.

The ONLY time he had to play like (not quite though) a DM was for Brazil at WC (since others Zico Socrates Falcao Eder ... all had better attacking skills than him)

Now it's hard to find and list out all games he played in formation but just one example from 1 expert:

Read the bold highlight:the DM would be hardly a "bullet to fire the forwards up in attack " (Playmaker role)

A DM would NEVER get another DM (Bakero) to "mark tight on him and to stop his magic" - It's so funny to see if a Xabi Alonso would do a marking on an Essein or Makelele to " STOP their magic'" ???

A couple of decades ago when I worked in the West End of London, I used to frequent a little Italian café, sadly no longer in existence, so I could watch the Serie A on theirsatellite TV.The main draw for me was a Brazilian midfielder called Toninho Cerezo. One of his compatriots once ingeniously described Cerezo as having the appearance of two little men, one on top of the other, both trying to run in different directions. He could indeed look a little ungainly. But few players have ever run a midfield with so much elegance.

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He received possession behind the line of the ball, giving him a full panorama of the action in front of him. He passed the ball long and short, and after giving it was immediately on the move to initiate the next phase, and he had an eye for the surprise, killer ball that undresses the defence.I became addicted to Cerezo towards the end of the 1980s, when he was the heart of an excellent Sampdoria side, making the bullets for the likes of Vialli and Mancini to fire. I was lucky enough to be at Wembley for his last, and biggest, game with the club - the 1992 European Cup final. He was 37, but Barcelona paid him the compliment of putting their best midfielder, Bakero, tight on him to stop him working his magic. Meanwhile, Barcelona had a young midfielder who may not have had the same physical dynamism of Cerezo, but was blessed with a similar capacity to understand the game around him and alter its course with a superb range of passing - Pep Guardiola. ....

The UNDERLINED did the good justice on what Cerezo was playing and xecelled in!

A couple of decades ago when I worked in the West End of London, I used to frequent a little Italian café, sadly no longer in existence, so I could watch the Serie A on theirsatellite TV.The main draw for me was a Brazilian midfielder called Toninho Cerezo. One of his compatriots once ingeniously described Cerezo as having the appearance of two little men, one on top of the other, both trying to run in different directions. He could indeed look a little ungainly. But few players have ever run a midfield with so much elegance.

​

He received possession behind the line of the ball, giving him a full panorama of the action in front of him. He passed the ball long and short, and after giving it was immediately on the move to initiate the next phase, and he had an eye for the surprise, killer ball that undresses the defence.I became addicted to Cerezo towards the end of the 1980s, when he was the heart of an excellent Sampdoria side, making the bullets for the likes of Vialli and Mancini to fire. I was lucky enough to be at Wembley for his last, and biggest, game with the club - the 1992 European Cup final. He was 37, but Barcelona paid him the compliment of putting their best midfielder, Bakero, tight on him to stop him working his magic. Meanwhile, Barcelona had a young midfielder who may not have had the same physical dynamism of Cerezo, but was blessed with a similar capacity to understand the game around him and alter its course with a superb range of passing - Pep Guardiola. ....

The UNDERLINED did the good justice on what Cerezo was playing and xecelled in!

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I think all of Cerezo, Guardiola and Veron were best as #8s (support midfielder). The game I most remember of TC was the Toyota Intercontinental final between Sao Paolo and AC Milan, what a game he had, completely dominating the Rossoneri's midfield (against Albertini, Donadoni and Boban) and being elected man of the match.

I think all of Cerezo, Guardiola and Veron were best as #8s (support midfielder). The game I most remember of TC was the Toyota Intercontinental final between Sao Paolo and AC Milan, what a game he had, completely dominating the Rossoneri's midfield (against Albertini, Donadoni and Boban) and being elected man of the match.

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Actually Veron was more of a "AM and playmaker" (60% Attack, 30% organize MF and 10% DF). After his peak 2004, he becmae more of a CM and deep playmaker!

Who told you that? understood you have a good knowledge in football, especially for Holland/Netherland but this is BRAZIL and I can assure CEREZO was NO DM at all.

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Yes, this is Brazil and I know the Brazilian repertoire. They usually turn their forwards in world class defenders (and goalkeepers too in case of Garrincha and Pelé) and defenders are suddenly Passarellas in disguise.

Lets see. The website dbscalcio.it (based on Guerin Sportivo) has Cerezo down as an 'interno' (in 6 of 9 serie A seasons), a libero and as a right sided midfielder.

As comparison, Frank Rijkaard, usually seen as a defensive player too, acted as 'interno' too. And just as Cerezo he played also one season at defence.

Transforming Cerezo in a playmaker is a Brazilian job. Sorry, but I see him as DM with good ball skills.

My main objection to many teams that i see in this thread, is that they picked 4 defensive players and 6 ofensive ones. And also, among those 4 defensives (3 backline +1 DM) the two fullbacks are very ofensive minded.